Auto mechanic&#39;s tray



Aug. 25, 1959 A. B. ANDERSON AUTO MECHANICS TRAY Filed Jan. 4, 1955 United States Patent M AUTO MECHANICS TRAY Arthur B. Anderson, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 4, 1955, Serial No. 479,764

Claims. (Cl. 311-21) This invention is concerned generally with the -repairing of automobiles, and more particularly with a mechanics tray for holding tools.

Present day automotive design is rendering it constantly more dificult for mechanics to work on the automobiles. Speciiically, the space under the hood is becoming more and more crowded due to the prevalence of short, low hoods, lwide V-8 engines, power brakes and power steering, and more recently air conditioning apparatus. Thus, there is no space left in the engine compartment for a mechanic to place his tools while Working on the engine or the various accessories under the hood.

In the past, mechanics, after raising the hood of an automobile, have often laid a cloth over a portion of a fender, and have laid their tools on this cloth. However, in the more recent automobiles there is very rarely any substantial at area, or even approximately tlat area, on the fenders. Therefore, the tools cannot be placed on the fender while a mechanic is working under the hood.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a tray which is readily attachable to the front of an automobile after raising the hood thereof for supporting a mechanics tools.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a tray for holding mechanics tools which is securely attached to an automobile without the necessity of any addition to or alteration of any parts of the automobile.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a tray for holding an auto mechanics tools which is held on the automobile by means of the hood-latching mechanism thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide an auto mechanics tool carrying tray readily mounted at the front of the engine compartment and serving to anchor corners of drop cloths placed over the fenders to preclude damage to the finish of the automobile.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the `tray of my invention mounted at the front of an automobile engine compartment;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the tray and mounting means therefor as taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the latching mechanism of the automobile which is utilized for mounting the tray.

Referring now in greater particularity to the drawings, there will be seen a portion of an automobile 10 having fenders 12 lying on either side of an engine compartment 14. A hood (not shown) closes between the fenders and is `held in raised position by spring loaded arms 16. The usual automotive components are found in the engine compartment 14 including au engine 18 having a carburetor and air cleaner 20, and a radiator 22. A grill 24 extends across the front of the automobile'between the 2,901,303 Patented Aug. 25, 1959 ICC fenders and above a bumper 2-6. A sheet metal frame member 28 extends across the front of the automobile above the grill 24. Headlights 30 are mounted in the fenders in accordance with conventional practice.

The sheet metal frame member 28 (it being understood that this member is made of heavy gauge sheet metal, not to be confused with the sheet metal of the body) carries at the center of the automobile a hood latching mechanism, identified generally by the numeral 32. The hood latching mechanism includes an inverted, generally U-shaped support 34 having a bight portion 36 in the form of a flat roof or wall, depending legs 38 which are outwardly tapered in part, and which terminate in outwardly directed flanges 40 which are secured to the frame member 28 by any suitable means such as nuts and bolts 42. The top wall or bight portion 36 is provided with a circular aperture 44, and an L-shaped latch member 46 is pivotally mounted to extend across this hole or opening.

The latch member `46 is pivotcd at the outer end of one of the legs as is indicated at 48 to the top wall 36. The portion of this leg near the heel of the L extends across the opening 44, and the opposite arm or leg 50 extends outwardly through a horizontal slot 52 in the depending leg 38 of the support 34.

It will be observed particularly in Fig. 2 that the aperture 44 is defined by a down-turned rim or' neck 54, this rim or neck being cut away to accommodate the L-shaped latch member 46. A tensioned spring 56 extends between the L-shaped latch member 46 and a hole 58 in the top wall 36 of the support 34 to urge the latch member into the aperture `44, such movement being limited by abutment of the projecting arm 50 against the edge of the horizontal slot 52.

An elongated latch release bar 61 is pivotally mounted on the side of one of the legs 38 as at 63 with the upper end ofthe bar positioned in engagement with the projecting end 50 of the latch member. A wire or similar pull member 65 is connected tothe bottom end of the bar 61 and is accessible through the grill 24. Pulling on the member 65 causes pivoting of the release member 61, and this pushes back on the extending arm 5t) to retract the latch 46 from its position subtending the aperture 44. All of the foregoing structure is present on the automobile as a part of its normal equipment, although the latching mechanism may vary somewhat from one make or model to another.

The mechanics tray forming the subject matter of the present invention is identified generally by the numeral 60 and comprises a at bed or supporting surface 62 having an upstanding peripheral wall 64. The tray conveniently is of rectangular configuration :and is of substantially the same width as the engine compartment. The tray is provided on its undersurface with an attaching plate 66 having a raised boss 68 extending through an opening 70 in the plate or supporting surface 62. Machine screws 72 which preferably are countersunk in the plate or supporting surface 62 extend through the attaching plate 66 and nuts 74 threaded thereon hold the attaching plate 66 to the wall or supporting surface 62.

A stud 76 is mounted in the boss 68 by means of a pair of nuts 78 threaded on the stud on opposite sides of the boss. The stud is capable of vertical adjustment by means of the nuts 78. The opposite end of the stud is provided with a generally conical head 80 having a rounded tip, and having a latching shoulder or surface 82. A thimble 84 surrounds the stud 76, the head 85 of the thimble being suitably apertured for this purpose. The thimble opens downwardly and is provided about its open end with an outwardly directed flange 86. A coil spring 88 is seated in the boss 68 and also seats 3 against the flange 86 of the 4thimble,A normally urging the thimble down about the head 80.

A levelling bolt 89 is secured to the supporting surface 6'2 and 'the plate 66, preferably being countersunk, by means of a lock nut 90 threaldedv on the levelling screw and abutting Vthe plate 66.- A sleeve nut 92 is mounted on the lower end of the screw and carries a rubber foot or bumper 93. The rubber foot 'or blurper is adjustable up and down en the screw by virtue' er the sleeve nut 92.

Adjacent the opposite sides of the tray 60 there is provided a pair of adjustable supporting legs 94'. These legs are of similar construction and each comprises an upper leg portion 96rhavi'u'g a right angularly disposed ange or 'feet 9S" welded to the n'dersu'rfaee ef the tray. ach upper leg 'portion 9'6 is provided with a vertical slot 100. Through each vertical slot 170.0 there projects a belt having a wing' nut 102 thereon, and a lower leg portion 104 is pivotally mounted ou this bolt. Each lower leg portion 104 is provided with a right angularly disposed foot 106 at its; outer end having thereon a rubber boot or bumper 108. Y

It is extremely simple to position the tray in operative position after the hood ofthe automobile has been raised. The head 80 of the stud 76 is pushed down through the opening 44 in the topl of the latchiug mechanism'. The rounded conical shape of the head facilities insertion of the head through the opening.` j The thimble 84 moves back against the spring' 88` as will be apparent, and the latch member 46 engages behind the shoulder 82 of the stud head as best may be seen in Fig. 2. The sleeve uut 92 may be adjusted to cause the r-ubber bumper 93 to abut the top surface 36 of the latch mechanism for levelling the tray from front to' rear of the automobile. It will be understood that for any given model auto'- rn'obile, this adjustment will' have to be made only once.

The legs 94 are moved into'position' to cause the boots l108 ou the feet 106 to reston top of the grill Z4', the lower legs 108 being pivoted for' this purpose about the mounting bolts, and the bolts being" slid up olif down in the slots 100v as needl be. The wing nuts 10'2; then are tightened on the bolts to'A lock the legs in adjusted positien. The legs serve to level andV support' thev tray from side to side. j

The legs 94' also are useful for supporting a pair of drop cloths 110 on the fenders.- As may be seen, ythe front' corner, or any other front portion of each drop cloth 110 is clamped against the top of the grill 24 by means of one ef the beets ros en the feet10`6; Ay rear portion of each drop cloth 110 may be snagged behind the supporting brace 16 of the hood, as is indicated' at 112.

When it is desired to remove the tray from] the automobile, all that is necessary is to pull ori the member 6 5 to release the latch member 46 of the hood latch. Thel tray then is free of 'restraint` andi-s raised partiallyfrom its seated positionby Vthe spring 8'8` so that the stud head 80 is no longer restrained by the latch member. The tray then can be lifted from theV automobile,` the drop' cloths can be removed, and the hood can be closed.

lt will be apparentV that the tray herein shown andv described is attachedY to'aud removed from au automobile with the utmost facility. The tray is positioned conveniently for supporting tools', and serves also to' sujg-V port drop cloths, so that the huish ou the fenders' will not be marred in any way. The tray fum and secure when in mounted position, and yet willn'ot require any Vadjustment 4following the initial one as long as it` isusedon the' same model* automobile. Adjustments for use on different models; or' eyen ou differentV makes of auto'- mobiles may be' made quite? easily'. It is apparent thatl the tray' readily can be' mounted' in perfectly level position sof' that they mechanic'will not be troubled by tools or parts of a cylindrical o'r a spherical nature roll-ing to the lowest edge of the tray'.

lt will be apparent that the attaching structure of my tray would be modified somewhat for {zO-operation with the latchiug mechanisms of automobiles of diiferent brands. Other and further structural changes from the specific illustrative example herein shown and described will no doubt occur to those skilled in the art, and are to be understood as forming a part of my invention insofar as they fall within the spuit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1 4

1. A supporting tray for use with an automobile hood latching mechanism `including an apertu'red horizontal plate andzlatch member biased to traverse atleast a portion kof the aperture; and comprising an elongated supporting member having a substantially centrally disposed opening therethrough, au attachment plate secured to said supporting member and including a cup-shaped portion projecting through said opening, au attachment member depending from said cup-shaped portion and having shoulder means at the lower end thereof with which the latch member is adapted to cooperate when passed through the aperture in the plate of the hood' latehin'g mechanism, means en` said attachment member bearing' against the cuplshaped portion and the plate of the hood latching mechanism tending to normally maintain the supporting tray elevated' thereabove, and porting leg means ou the tray adapted to bear against adjacent portions of the automobile for supporting the tray'i'n stable position. Y r I 2. A supporting tray for use with an automobile hood latching mechanism including an apertured hc'ir'iz'on'ta'lV plate and a latch member biased to traverse at least a portion of the aperture; and' comprising a supporting.' member, an attachment member depending from s'id sup'- po'rting member and' having shoulder means at the lower end thereof for cooperation with tlie latch member er the hood latching mechanism when passed through the aperture in the horizontal plate, spring means on the attachment member normally maintaining the supporting tray elevated above the horizontal platef the' hood latching mechanism, andv adjustable'leveling means depending' from said tray for abutment with an adjacent portion" of the automobile to initially level the tray with respect thereto and cooperate' with `said attachment member in supporting the tray in leveled position.

3. A supporting tray as claimed in claim 2, whereiny the adjustable leveling means is disposed adjacent said attachment member and includes a bolt depending from the tray and threadedly carrying a" foot for abuttingehgagemeut with the horizontal plate of the hood I'atchiilg mechanism to initially level the tray with respect thereto.

4. A supporting tray foruse with an automobile hood latching mechanism including an apertured horizontal plate and a' latch member biased to traverse at leasta portion of the aperture; and comprising a supportingM member, anattachment member xedly secured to4 thesupporting member and depending therefrom iii` rigid right-angled position with respect thereto, said attachment member having shoulder means at the lower eiid thereof for cooperation with the latch member on the'hood latch# ing mechanism when the attachment member is passed through the aperture in the horizontal plate of thehood latchiug mechanism, spring means ou said attachment member normally maintaining the supporting tray elevated above the horizontal plate of the hood ,latching-V mechanism, and leg means depending from said traypin spaced relation with respect to the' attachment member and'adap'ted for abutment with au adjacent portionr of the leg means comprises a pair of legs depending from saidL tray andl spaced from the attachment member and' a stop means located relatively close toV said attachment member adapted for abutting engagement with the horrv amy References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith et al Oct. 19, 1909 Epley Jan. 8, 1924 6 Hoot Aug. 6, 1929 Mueller Mar. 31, 1931 Coombes Oct. 19, 1931 Hill et al June 16, 1942 Krause June 16, 1942 Trammell June 6, 1950 Setchell Apr. 17, 1951 Wilson Sept. 20, 1955 Yordi Sept. 10, 1957 

